A few weeks ago, I got the chance to buy on the web a really inspiring aviation documentary film called “Flyabout” by Monika Petrillo. It tells the very intimate and personal story of a young pilot‚Äòs journey around Australia. With only 145 piloting hours behind her, Monika decided to undertake at the age of 24, becoming the first women to fly on a small single-engine airplane (Cessna 172) around the entire Australian continent within 28 days. If you’re a pilot who likes cross-country flights and loves flight adventures, this movie is for you! A truly inspiring movie with awesome footage and a wonderful message.
Trailer
http://www.flyaboutmovie.com/images/flyabouthigh.mov (high)
http://www.flyaboutmovie.com/images/flyabout_med.mov (med)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zlyOTwEEI (youtube)
Synopsis
Monika Petrillo has never been a person to postpone her dreams. So at 24 she decided to get a pilot’s license. A year later, her father surprised her by learning to fly as well. As the movie begins, they take off together to circumnavigate the continent of Australia.
As the only woman pilot in a group of eleven people, Monika experiences the true freedom of flight above one of the most untouched places on earth. As she becomes exposed to Australian culture, she learns about the Walkabout, a spiritual journey the Aborigines have valued for tens of thousands of years. That inspires her to use
An amazing cross-country flight of 28 days around Australia. 24 legs in 28 day! What an awesome adventure!
this trip to take stock of her own spiritual household. The first step toward that end is to relax. But that proves much more difficult than she thought: a tight schedule, careful and constant maintenance of the aircraft, pot-holed dirt runways, mechanical failures, sudden loss of visibility and unpredictable crosswinds keep her both too busy and too uptight. But what impacts her most is the conflict that arises between her father and herself.
They had both underestimated the consequences of her father‘s limited experience as a pilot, and that quickly
takes its toll—not only on the collaboration in the cockpit, but also on their relationship. Monika struggles with feelings of responsibility on the one hand versus doubts about contradicting her father, who has always been her role model, on the other.
As their plane continues its path across the outback, the young woman slowly comes to realize that personal and spiritual growth can‘t be forced. Instead of searching so hard, she starts to look out the window. And that simple action is the first step towards learning the real lesson.
Discover the World from a Different Perspective
Monika Petrillo
The quest and journey towards a goal are sometimes just as important as achieving the goal itself. What Monika and her father have experienced is exactly the type of flying that attracted me to aviation. Flying for me is a way to discover the world from a different perspective, to push my limits, to learn more about myself, about life and to live great adventures with people I love. Through adventures, we feel so alive and connected with life, our inner self and the world around us. To me, this is where true happiness lies. But I believe the greatest gift is to be able to share those experiences and adventures with the ones we love.
As a pilot, my objective someday is to fly across Africa, Australia and also to cross the Atlantic with a single engine via Iceland.¬† “Flyabout” has strengthened my determination to fly towards these dreams.
Monika Petrillo
I recently had the chance to exchange a few words with Monika via e-mails and on Facebook and she seems to be a great person with a passion for life, people and aviation.  I recommend you purchase this movie which I personally really enjoyed!
You can get the Flyabout movie at www.flyaboutmovie.com and on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Flyabout-Monika-Petrillo/dp/B001DAVU5K
Enjoy the viewing…
- André Carrier
BuddyPilots Aviation inc
Find more information at: www.flyaboutmovie.com
This article is not a sponsored post or conversation.
Buddypilots is committed and proud of supporting all ideas, products and companies that contribute to the evolution and development of general aviation!
Dear André,
thank you for your flattering review.
It fills my heart with so much happiness to know that my story has made it out there and actually managed to touch people’s hearts. During the 7 years of editing the film I had no idea if anybody outside my family would end up caring to see it.
Two years later, I am amazed at how many DVDs I have already shipped out to folks all over the world. I guess I just didn’t know how large the “family of pilots” is
Blue skies,
Monika Petrillo
Monika,
Traveling, discovering and the drive to share is amazing. The fact that the experience was elevated to the privileged perspective of a pilot is exceptional. I loved the movie. Your take on the journey is inspiring and right on!
In some ways, flying should be a mandatory requirement for aspiring leaders and policy makers. Or anyone really. A tighter community of pilots and FBOs would help with that.
I was reading about Buddypilot’s project and it seems this is the attitude and tools they are bringing this coming summer or so. I’ll post as soon as I sign up!